Greg Gagne
Forecaster
Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the previous week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.)
The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, January 29 through Thursday, February 4:
Summary: A significant avalanche cycle on Saturday, January 30 with the second avalanche fatality in Utah this season. Since Friday, January 29 thirty-eight avalanches in the Salt Lake mountains are reported to the Utah Avalanche Center (27 alone on Saturday, January 30). You can review all avalanche activity for the Salt Lake mountains, as well as all field observations. Almost all avalanche activity involved avalanches failing in deeply-buried faceted snow - the Persistent Weak Layer that has plagued the entire state this winter season.
Friday, January 29: A storm moves into the region, with snowfall beginning Friday afternoon and continued moderate to strong winds from the southwest. The only reported backcountry avalanche is a natural avalanche on a north aspect on Silver Fork Headwall that was 3' deep and 150' wide, failing in faceted snow.
Saturday, January 30: Continued snowfall overnight, with 12-18" (containing 0.75" - 1.15" of water) in the upper Cottonwoods and 10-12" along the Park City ridgeline (0.8 - 1.0" water) by morning. Saturday, January 30, 2021 will go down as one of the most active days of backcountry avalanche activity with twenty-seven avalanches reported from the backcountry in the Salt Lake mountains, with two close calls/near misses and a fatality.
The close calls/near misses:
- Main Gobblers - 3.5' deep 350' wide running 1750' vertical. Two skiers caught, carried, and fortunately ended up on top of the debris after riding the full path, but with injuries.
- Upper Millcreek - One skier caught, carried and almost fully buried. Airbag deployed.
There were numerous natural avalanches, including a slide in West Porter Fork that was 3' deep and 500' wide and another in Millcreek in Bowman Fork that was up to 4' deep and 150' wide.
Sadly, the second avalanche fatality in Utah this season on Squaretop Peak along the Park City ridgeline. The full report for this accident is now available.
Sunday, January 31: Clear skies and warming temperatures. Most significant backcountry avalanche reported is from Birthday Chutes in White Pine Canyon. This was a skier-triggered slide 3' and 50' wide, running over 100'' vertical.
Monday, February 1: Clearing skies and warm temperatures. No backcountry avalanches are reported.
Tuesday, February 2: Continued warming temperatures. A remotely-triggered slide from 80' away on Chicken S*$t Ridge in Days Fork. This slide broke down on faceted snow 3' deep and the slide was over 400' wide.
Wednesday, February 3: Increasing southerly winds and a cold front enters the region mid-day, and winds switch to the northwest with colder air. Other than small natural avalanche in the Hallway Couloir, no backcountry avalanches reported, with 3-5" of dense snow and graupel reported by late day.
Thursday, February 4: Continued snow showers and lighter northwest winds. Snow totals since Wednesday include 9-11" (containing 0.67-0.75" water) in the upper Cottonwoods and 10-12" (with 0.75" water) along the Park City ridgeline. No backcountry avalanches are reported.
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